Trail of Happiness and Sacrifice/ Why Don't You Speak French?/ Excited to talk to the Family?!/ Klos lo Kasam won Kil

Dearest Family and Friends!!! How are you?! Do you know I pray for you and miss you? I love you! I hope it is well known that although I love my mission with all my heart and soul, I do miss my family and friends. Often, I see things which press my many buttons. (This will probably only make sense to my immediate family. Sorry about that. Inside jokes!) I have a "Keaton" button. A Claire and Vivie button, A Mom and Dad button and those of my dearest friends. At the beginning of my mission, these thoughts of you all would make me sad. However through the wonderful gift of prayer I have received a great help. Every time I think of each of you it motivates me to be better, to work harder, and to be happy, because I am blessed to know each of you. :) Thank you for all of your support and love. It will be one of the greatest joys of my life to see and talk to you once more. Your emails and letters have touched, lifted, and inspired me more than I could express or ever tell you. Thank you times a million!

This might not be the most elaborate or beautiful written email. I will not have as much time as normal since we just arrived from New Caledonia yesterday. But I would like you to know I am sending it with the most love I can. You are all the best!

One of the most amazing things which has happened to me this week has been the Blessing of the Spirit of Elijah!!! As you all know, I work quite a bit in the Mission Office. On P-Days there are sometimes a lot of things to do in here and if feels like everyone needs to talk with us. The blessings are two things: An opportunity to email and a chance to look at the Family Tree website (If we have extra time)  I have been amazed what a knowledge of my ancestors has been able to do for me. I must know them so well but because of the veil of forgetfulness I do not know them. As I have use this website to go back and see who my ancestors are this love I had for them before this life comes rushing in. My Personal Family Tree on my account was not connected with my Mom's side of our Family. I found this strange as I know of the great efforts my Grandma Wilkinson, whom has been involved with our family history and spent countless hours working on it.  I went in my email and was able to add some information in from my Dear Grandma Polodna's obituary to connect the family tree and found I could connect my account with an impressive amounts of work from my Grandma Wilkinson. Tears of joy have come in abundance and I have had a spiritual boost form this. To my Grandma Wilkinson, I love you. I am amazed at what you have done. Thank you from the bottom of my heart what you have done for our family and for me personally. I felt like I had a love for my ancestors before but it has blossomed in so many ways. I will be hoping to be more involved with it when I arrive back at home. My ancestors have made many sacrifices so that I might have the Gospel in my life. Having a knowledge of the Gospel and my testimony is the greatest joy in my life! Wow! Life is so good!

We traveled to New Caledonia this week and also had the Efate Zone Conference! Yes, that means two Zone Conferences in two different counties in the same week! Yes, we are very busy. But I am grateful to be busy in the most important work. The last couple of days has been in French for the entire day for me. We stay with the Zone Leaders and only one of them speaks English, so I am always the odd man out. To most people's surprise, I love it! I love doing things which challenge me! We even had dinner with the Stake President (We joined the Duquettes) in NC who is from France. When he realized I couldn't understand him he said, "Why do you not know French? It is the best language!" Sister Duquette defended me by explaining how I have only been assigned to Vanuatu and have only come to New Caledonia to fulfill my assignment as an Assistant. The Stake President was awesome though, his family also speaks English and they spoke in it the whole time just so I could join in the fun conversations we had. What a great family! I am getting a lot better in French. Fluency will most likely not be obtained on my mission because my vocabulary is low and I have not had any training on grammar but I will never give up. We even had a meeting with a Ward Mission Leader (The Zone Leader Ward Mission Leader) and I responded to him a few times in French and understand more than one would think. He even asked me in English, Where did you learn French? I explained I really didn't know it that well. That I had never even had one French lesson but I have just learned from trying to listen and communicate even though, at times, I look like a complete idiot. Hard work pays off! Never give up on your dreams. You may even impress yourself. He was impressed and kept telling me I should come serve in New Caledonia. Maybe he was just trying to get on my good side but it meant a lot to me! Doctrine and Covenants 5: 34-35 The Lord always provides the way.

Another crazy experience. We went to go get some Ice Cream before we went to Zone Conference in New Caledonia with our District Leader, Elder Eager. We had some things to discuss and things are always better with Ice Cream. As everyone was getting some Ice Cream and I was about to get in line to grab my Strawberry Ice Cream (It is becoming on of my favorites recently.  :) ) when a drunk man got out of a bus and walked towards us. He demanded money to pay for his gas. I told him in a pleasant and kind fashion such an action would not be possible. I tried to change the subject and help him become kind but it started not to work. Everyone watched in horror as the big man raised his voice getting close to me and it looked like he might even hit me. I started some silent prayers in my head as he sprayed saliva while continuing to raise his voice explaining that he thought I was a racist man. Just as I thought, I may have to defended myself our District Leader rushed to my aide and had the words to calm the man I could not. The situation resolved itself and I said many prayers with a thankful heart. The Lord does hear our silent prayers. Even in our times of deepest fears he is right there. I know the Lord protects his missionaries. I know he will protect the missionaries near the Hurricane I hear is in the East Coast of the United States .

My Friends and Family. I love you. I love this Church and work I am doing. I won't give up. I will keep going. I will keep praying for you. Know your Savior will be with you in all times if you will allow him to be through his Holy Spirit. Stay worthy of the Spirit's presence and be confident that although we sin and are not perfect we can repent and keep trying. I pray for you any second I can find. The thought of all of you keeps me motivated and happy. Know I am cheering for you too.

Much Love Forever,

Elder LaMont Your Alekken Ty, The Come Back Kid, Van Persie, The Whitest Dude in all of Vanuatu

P.S. If I did not get to you this week, I am sorry. You will get one next week.. Hopefully! :)